Among WXNA’s immense collection of invaluable programs, the brilliant Soul of the City on Thursdays, from 4 to 6 p.m., ranks at the top for several reasons. The first is its blend of the finest in current offerings from the vast array of sounds that make up what some call “neo-soul” and others “contemporary R&B.” But the show offers a wide range of the best in the field, from familiar staples by Prince and Chaka Khan to recent offerings from Beyoncé and Nikka Costa. The second is its marvelous host Erica Schultz, who offers both informative tidbits about the songs and insights that accurately evaluate where each number belongs in the modern pantheon. Third, Schultz makes the show resonate for fans of older soul and R&B by showing how a song from Janelle Monáe is every bit as soulful as something from the ’50s or ’60s, while also reminding the audience that there are still veterans out there like Charlie Wilson and Mary J. Blige making exciting and relevant music. The lament you often hear from fans of past eras is that no one’s making real soul or R&B anymore. Each week Soul of the City provides definitive proof that while the songs may not sound like the way O.V. Wright or Aretha Franklin used to do it, there’s still plenty of wonderful and delightful soul and R&B being made by today’s gifted artists.
Best Specialty Radio Show
